Salmon fishing is back

For the first time in three years, a chinook salmon season in California has been set and boy, just typing those words feels like a win. A bit of the backstory, in case you didn't know: Due to depleted numbers of returning chinook salmon and in the ocean, recreational and commercial fishing has been closed since 2022. Chinook are, of course, native to California. That includes the Sacramento River watershed. And while their numbers in the modern era have always been a bit of a roller coaster, they plummeted in the early 2020s due to poor environmental factors and, frankly, poor water/habitat management. But good water years in 2023 and 2024, combined with improved management, helped create healthy returns of chinook this past fall to all the major hatcheries, including Nimbus, Coleman and Feather River. Sacramento river tributaries without hatcheries, like Putah Creek and the Yuba River (among many), also saw healthy returns. Based on that, along with data gleaned from studies of chinook currently in the ocean, input from commercial and recreational fishing interests and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Pacific Fishery Management Council voted April 12 to allow for a season this year, albeit with restrictions. While the closures have been disappointing to recreational anglers, they've been nothing less than apocalyptic for California's commercial salmon fleet. In fact, many have sold their boats and moved on. For those still hanging in, this one season won't help much. Commercial boats need consecutive years of open seasons if they're ever going to claw back from the brink. And as dire as that is – and my heart goes out to the commercial fleet and the communities they benefit – this is a column about recreational fishing. So, to you recreational fishers, I say: Get some ice for the Yeti and start making plans … although, if those plans involve a charter boat, get the ice later. You should probably start trying to book, like now. And you can actually start fishing now, too. The season from Pigeon Point south, which includes Monterey Bay, opened April 11. The limit is two, with a size minimum of 24 inches until May 15, when it drops to 20 inches. There is an overall quota of 21,800 chinook, and if that quota is met before Aug. 31, the fishery will close down until Sept. 1, when it will re-open again with different fall regulations. If it isn't, there will be salmon fishing virtually all summer long out of Moss Landing, Santa Cruz and Monterey. Bodega Bay and San Francisco will open June 27 through July 22 with a quota of 34,900. There will be a two-fish per-person limit, with a 20-inch size minimum. Then, depending on if that quota is met, it will reopen Aug. 1 and go through Aug. 31, and then again Sept. 1 through Oct. 31. Fort Bragg: The season will be June 13-July 19 again with a 20-inch size minimum and a two-fish per-day bag limit. If, in that time, the 5,100 fish quota is not met, it will reopen for the month of August or until the quota is met. There will not be a fall fishery. And in the Klamath Management Zone, which includes Crescent City and Eureka, the season will be June 13-July 19. But since fisheries managers are trying to help build the Klamath River stock of chinook, the quota will only be 3,900 fish. If that quota is not met by July 19, then there will be an August fishery until the quota is met or until the end of the month. There will be no fall fishery. Also, the size minimum will be 20 inches and the bag limit per person two. What about inland chinook fisheries? Will we be able to chase them once again in late summer and fall on the Sacramento? The short answer is very probably yes, but as this goes to print, the specific regulations haven't yet been established so keep your fingers, toes and lines crossed.Wait, hold off on that last one. Tangles suck. And, as always, don't rely solely on what you see here – this is just a very basic overview. Get a copy of the regs or click https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Salmon and study them like there's going to be a final. Then, dust off that Yeti and get yourself ready. Chinook fishing is back. Let's hope this time for good. FISHING REPORT (courtesy in part from FishSniffer) Salmon season is off to the races in the Monterey and south management areas. According to FishSniffer.com, charters like New Captain Pete Sportfishing out of Half Moon Bay have been running successful trips, with a few bonus bonito also being caught. In Monterey Bay, Soquel Hole has been also productive for fishermen using anchovies, but the salmon are DEEP - 200-300 feet down. If you don't mind the drive, Lake Amador has been great for trout anglers. Surface temp recently dropped to 65 degrees and there is 12-15 feet of water visibility. Trout are found 10-40 feet deep. Areas north of the campground and Bruce's Bay have been most productive for trolling. Closer to home, Folsom trout are still super active, with a good early morning bite for a mix of stocked fish, holdovers and wild. Troll 15-30 feet and when you land one, troll back through that area. Striper fishing along the Sacramento River continues to rip. Lots of big stripers swimming upriver and the action near Colusa is productive. Many stripers above 15 pounds were caught (and released) during last weekend's NCGASA striper derby. Drifting and back bouncing minnows has been the most effective. Also: Sierra lakes open this Saturday, April 25. Check the regs to make sure you're up to date. And one of the state's premiere freshwater destination trout fisheries, Eagle Lake, opens on May 23.